This 126-Year-Old London House Is the Perfect Example of “Color Drenching”
This 126-Year-Old London House Is the Perfect Example of “Color Drenching”
“We were living in a small two-bedroom flat before we found this house,” describe Lucas and Ben, a couple who purchased this London terraced home built in 1897. “We had spent over a year just casually looking at what was on the market and understanding what we could (and couldn’t) afford. We’d seen quite a few houses and flats, but each one just had something missing.”

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The couple continues their home’s story: “We found our home online first, and were immediately excited. A week later, we were the second to view it and knew we had to have it as soon as we walked in the door. It had all the bones we were looking for — original wood flooring, tall Victorian ceilings, and six-foot sash windows that let a flood of light in each room. After a lengthy six-month process of exchanging contracts, it was ours. As it was our first home together, we named it ‘The Cutty House’ after the famous Cutty Sark in Greenwich, London, where we had first met. Okay, I must admit — we may have had a few glasses of wine and named it as a joke, but it just stuck.”
“The Cutty House was built in 1897, and originally purchased for £50 ($62). How times, and house prices, have changed! Although the house has taken many forms over the last 126 years, we love that most of its original features have stayed intact. We’ve tried our best to highlight these features by restoring old floorboards to their natural state, adding bold yet muted colors, and sympathetic furnishing. The Cutty House isn’t what you would expect from grand Victorian homes in London, but it doesn’t try to be — it’s cozy, comfortable, and perfect for us.”
Resources
PAINT & COLORS
- Lounge — COAT “Adulting”
- Hallway, stairs, dining room — Dulux Trade “Soft Stone”
- Primary bedroom — Dulux Trade “Emerald Glade”
- Second bedroom/home office — Little Greene “Etruria”
ENTRY
- Larger Lisboa pendant — Pooky
LIVING ROOM
- Henry sofa — Arlo and Jacob
- Piano — Kemble
- Chair (1930s) — Parker Knoll
DINING ROOM
BEDROOM
- Rattan bed frame — John Lewis
Thanks, Lucas and Ben!
This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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